Ilcsi AHA Spicy Organic Facial

The Skin Deep brochure states that this is “The hottest facial in town” and they weren’t kidding! I’ve been looking for a natural facial treatment that will deliver smooth glowing fresh looking skin and I think I have found exactly what I am looking for. This all natural treatment provides fruit acids to smooth the skin and spicy paprika to boost circulation and detoxify your skin.

Ilcsi is a Hungarian based natural skin care company that relies on quality hand picked herb, fruits and vegetables. Ilcsi products contain no synthetic colouring agents, paints or animal-based ingredients. According to the Spa Universe website, Australia’s stockist for Ilsci, the philosophy of the brand is simple and natural: it accommodates to the modern need that prefers natural skincare methods, but still demands results. This is possible due to the high concentration of herbs, fruits and vegetables found in Ilcsi products.

The facial started with a double cleanse of the delicious smelling Rose Petal Cleanser and a light exfoliation. Next AHA fruit pulp is smoothed over the skin, the apple and grape extracts help to smooth and retexturise. A layer of thin Hessian is then placed over the skin and the Paprika herbal treatment applied. This is when it really starts to heat up, you feel hot but not uncomfortable. You can really feel your blood pumping. While this is kicking in to action, my therapist gave me an arm exfoliation. The mask stays on for about 15 minutes or until it dries. Some light fanning by my therapist takes away any last minute tingling. After the spicy mask is removed a lovely cold Rose Hip Gel mask was applied. This instantly took any heat in my face away. Rose Hip Serum and moisturiser were then applied which further cooled and calmed my skin.

Paprika Herbal Treatment

My skin was pinkish for about an hour post treatment, which my therapist did warn me about. The results were amazing- my skin was soft, glowing and radiant. I had someone stop me at the supermarket to ask what I use on my skin! It’s an absolutely great treatment to have pre event and the best thing about it is that you can buy the products and do it all at home; you can even do it a few times a week. As someone who has used microdermabrasion, chemical peels and Omnilux I can say that this is the most effective treatment I have ever had. I can’t wait for my next appointment!

Ilcsi AHA Spicy Organic Facial

Cost: $130 (approx)

Time: Approx 90 mins

Where: Skin Deep Medi Spa Salons (Como, Floreat, Mullaloo and Perth)
http://www.skindeep.net.au

Ilcsi
http://www.spauniverse.com.au

Article by Hannah Lee!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

According to the flyer, the health studio “Bikram Yoga” (or heated yoga) provides a certain type of yoga that is conducted in a room heated to 38 degrees celcius, so that the muscles are warmed and a deeper workout can occur!

To put it simply: you’re gonna sweat.

Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute program of 26 pre-determined poses & postures, plus 2 breathing exercises. The benefits of Bikram include:

♥ Stretching and strengthening muscles, joints & more.
♥ Increased mental clarity & stress reduction.
♥ Stimulation of the organs to cleanse & provide fresh oxygenated blood to the body. This helps restore all systems to optimal working order for total health.

At this stage, the concept sounded so unappealing, what with all the talk about mass sweating.

As I entered the zenly decorated reception area of Bikram Yoga (complete with small fountains), already I could feel a slight rise in humidity. The instructors were extremely friendly as they explained to me the concept and goals of their company and they were extremely open as they answered any questions I had.

Set with a yoga mat, a beach towel and two bottles of water, I stepped into a room that was similar to a sauna minus the steam. During the briefing, the instructor urged us to try our hardest to stay in the room for the whole class, even if it was just lying down on the mat if we felt like we weren’t handling the environment well. The point of this class was to focus solely on yourself without worrying about what other classmates are doing and, contrary to regular yoga, the eyes must be open the whole time.

The class started well enough with some of the typical yoga positions such as the half moon pose. At this stage I was thinking, this isn’t so bad I can totally do this for 90 minutes! However about 30-45 minutes into the class, the room was 10 degrees hotter than when we first started and that’s when the sweating really began.

I was also thanking my mum in my mind as she convinced me to bring a beach towel instead of a tiny face towel. Around this time I started to feel a little light-headed and so I decided to sit the next few poses out, trying to gain some energy back and convincing myself not to step out of the class. A few people decided to rest around this time too, reassuring me that I wasn’t the only one struggling.

After a few minutes of resting I joined the class again, keeping up surprisingly comfortably. Going against the rules, I looked around at the class, and everyone, including myself, was sweating insane amounts! Towards the end of the class the temperature cooled mildly and before I knew it the class was finished.

The poses performed in a Bikram Yoga class.

It may seem that I didn’t enjoy myself in this class but in reality, I loved it! I felt rejuvenated and fresh walking out of the studio and I could breathe easier too. Another benefit was that my skin felt softer (after a good shower).

Overall it was a very intense 90 minutes, very very challenging but incredibly worth it as there are plenty of benefits for your body (as above).

My advice is that you have to listen to your body and take it easy if you’re doing it the first time, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while. The yoga experience combined with the friendly and welcoming instructors has definitely convinced me to come back for more!

They have a special offer for newcomers who are local to Perth, $20 for unlimited Bikram Yoga over 10 days! Unbeatable value and a fantastic way to find out if it suits your lifestyle

Bikram Yoga – http://www.perthbikramyoga.com.au

Location

NOR

158a Vincent Street, NORTH PERTH
On the corner of Vincent and Fitzgerald Streets

SOR

248 Leach Highway MYAREE
(beneath REBEL Sports)

To find out more, contact Jenny Sterpini, certified Bikram Yoga Instructor on 0403 496 422.

Article by Hanna Baradja

Have you tried Bikram Yoga? Too scared? Want to know more? Leave a comment! xx

Without good health nothing else matters. Join super nutrition expert David Wolfe with Celebrity Raw Food Chef Bruce Horowitz as they delve into what matters most – what we put in our mouths!

David’s approach to wellness includes superfoods, superherbs and organic raw foods among other top protocols. Wolfe states, “Consumers today are aware of some of the basics of good nutrition but have not been exposed to the newest findings or they don’t know how to incorporate them into their daily lives. I help solve people’s challenges with the overload of health information available to them today. I cut through the clutter and deliver the most important information in bite sizes. ”

David’s lecture will be held in the Kim Beazley Lecture Theatre at Murdoch University, at $50 per ticket, on Thursday February 25, at 6:30pm.

This is pretty much unmissable stuff for anyone interested in health, food, nutrition or sustainable living!!

You can learn more about David at: http://www.davidwolfe.com/about/ or on the Australia tour website and booking: http://davidwolfeaustraliantour.com/

See you there!

Be well,

xoxo

There’s a little salon on Preston Point road in Como which is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. It doesn’t look like much on the outside but once you’re inside you are in for a treat!

The salon offers a huge range of services and treatments from the standard waxing and massage to specialist skin treatments including IPL Photorejuventation, Omnilux Light Therapy, Microdermabrasion and Glycolic Peels. They also offer an extensive range of skincare products which include Priori, MD Formulations, Decleor, and the organic Ilcsi and Judith White range. There is a solution for every skin.

I had wanted to try Microdermabrasion for quite a while, so I bit the bullet and made an appointment for a Thursday morning. I arrived 10 minutes early as requested and filled out the necessary forms about my skin, skincare routine and health. All the staff are well trained and educated in skincare and the products that they use.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Microdermabrasion, it has a gentle suction feeling to it and the results are great. It’s best done in a course to get the full benefits. My skin felt smoother, was more even and looked more refreshed. The treatment which includes a facial takes 60mins. The rooms are relaxing and filled with gentle music. My therapist was fantastic, took me through a detailed skin analysis, and explained all the products she was using and why. I got a little hand and foot massage during the facial and walked out of the room feeling like I was walking on air.

This salon is now somewhere that I visit regularly; it fulfills all my skin and beauty needs in once place.

Where
Corner Labouchere Rd., & Preston St, Como

Phone
(08) 9368 0829

Website
http://www.skindeep.net.au

Article by Hannah Lee: “I’ve been interested in health, beauty and fitness for as long as I can remember. I’m a self confessed beauty spa addict who is always on the lookout for new things to try. I’m currently obsessed with microdermabrasion and Omnilux light therapy. I work as a nurse, which allows me to educate people about all things health and wellness, something I’m passionate about!”

Be well,

xoxo

Image from http://food.libertine.au.com/

Having driven past a few times on previous weekends, seeing signs spouting promises of artisan bread, fresh fruit & vegies, free range eggs and organic produce, I finally woke up early enough to check out The Farmers Market on Manning in Bentley (just across the road from Curtin University) this morning with my mama.

My first time at a farmers market, what glee!

The markets are teeming with activity and everyone there seems relaxed and happy, my kinda place. There are cute little stalls throughout & pups galore (excellent).

Cardboard boxes are the go with no plastic bags to be seen. We try some organic lemon & garlic kalamata olives from a farm in York and end up buying some… so tasty! And at a similar price you’d pay in the supermarket.

Stalls noted include… flower / plants, organic tea, honey, curry puffs (!?!!), organic+vegetarian cheese (this place was going off because they were offering free cheese samples), chutney & sauces, raw juice, fudge, cakes, as well as the fruit, vegies, fresh meat, free range eggs etc.

The prices seemed exceptionally reasonable, I bought a bunch of organic kale for $2.50 & an organic kiwi fruit for $0.80. They will both make an excellent smoothie for me later!

Highlight of the morning would be seeing a tiny Italian boy with a huge loaf of artisan olive & sun-dried tomato bread that was about 1/3 the size of him, nibbling all over it, so cute!

The setting is fantastic, on the green grass under the shady pine trees next to the Aboriginal music college on Manning Road.

I’ll definitely be going back, I want to eat more local & organic foods and this is a wonderful way to support our local industries and farmers.

If you live South of the River, give it a go! I think you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did

Location

Clontarf Campus
Manning Road
Bentley, Western Australia

Time

8.00am – 1.00pm Saturday

Be well,

xoxo

After a fairly intense past 6 months with little extra funds to ‘treat myself’, I got back into it Today with an hour long massage at my old fave, the Cove Spa (previously The Beauty Cove Day Spa) in South Perth.

At this moment, to me, Cove Spa is unparalleled. That being said, once I find a good thing I tend to stick with it! So this may be a biased opinion & I will be doing much more further investigation (hard life!) to see if I can find more wonderful places in Perth to get my pamper on!

I chose the standard 60 minute relaxation massage (at the princely sum of $105) to help combat the stress acquired from starting a new job & am so, so, so glad I did!

Here’s why:

♥ Comfy slippers, not all spas can say they have these but luckily this one can! So good to pad around in comfy slip ons.

♥ Free cups of tea! YAY! However, the water jug didn’t have any lemon slices in it, which it usually does. Lemon water is tasty. That’s my only gripe so I think they’re doing pretty fantastic!

♥ Expert masseuse. I was reluctant to venture away from my usual therapist Kate, but the girl I had (Sam) was just as good & really friendly! She made me feel comfortable & possesses magical hands.

♥ Aromatherapy! I was surprised when she asked me to inhale deeply three times (you lie with your head face down into a hole in the table), wonderful essential oils sent me that little bit further into relaxation, it was a really special touch that I loved and didn’t expect.

♥ Sam was really thorough, massaging onto my bottom (how proper!) a bit as there is a lot of tension held here for most of us due to sitting at computers all day long. Not for the shy I suppose, but excellent as part of a full body tension release.

♥ No pressure to leave the lounge area. I lazed around for about 20 minutes reading magazines and at no point felt rushed, which is how you want to feel after such a relaxing experience!

♥ Afterwards I felt so great and at peace with the world, which is how I always feel after a massage at Cove Spa. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true!

Highly recommended, once again.

Be well,

xoxo